Enai

Hello,

I'm searching for a book about biology thats sort of the equivalent to Hawkings "Short History of Time". I didn't take any advanced courses about biology when I was in school, and suddenly find myself lacking the knowledge what sorts of models for evolution exist. Now, this isn't exactly necessary for me, being a student of physics, but recently I got an assignment for a homework. I have to model the Bak-Sneppen model of punctuated equilibria in a computer program (the homework is for the class "statistics and thermodynamics", so it's related). I would like to know a bit more about the matter, but due to lack of time and money I wont be able to afford (or even only borrow and read) the Campbell. Can anyone recommend a book about the matter which is concise, not too long, and understandable for laypeople? I'd also appreciate links to websites.

Thanks in advance,
Enai

Amen-Moses

<a href="http://xyz.lanl.gov/abs/cond-mat/9905066" target="_blank">http://xyz.lanl.gov/abs/cond-mat/9905066</a>

Not exactly for the layman but it's a start.

Amen-Moses

Enai

Thanks, Amen-Moses! I already downloaded the document and will read it later.
However, I wasn't specifically looking for the Bak-Sneppen model, because my assignment is fairly detailed to what is to be modeled and how. I would like to know about the different evolution models and their comparative strenghts and weaknesses, because the matter is interesting to me, not because I need it for class. I didn't even know that different models exist before i got said computer exercise assignment. Is there some sort of "general evolution 101"?

Enai